Ftvme parameter passing issue

We have a challenging issue here . In my FTVME system we have a lot of ( around 50 ) identical pumps .So we decided to incoperate parameter technique for screens and add-ons in RSL5k. It was really easy and saved lot of engineering hours.
But the problem raised when the customer asked for confirmation screen for start and stop buttons and user security for the action. As FTVME allows only one level of parameter passing I am not able to pass parameter to a popup screen when clicking the start/stop button for confirmation. And the security is Screen Based ( Not Tag Based )!!!.
We would be glad to hear any suggestions or workarounds to solve this issue ..Fingers Crossed.

My first thought would be visibility on the Confirmation Button. Use additional parameters for confirmation button to assign which motor is being confirmed. You could overlay confirmation on top of Parameter Screen and use visibiltiy to hide buttons until needed. Also Design Buttons with Background to look like a pop up Screen.

It doesn't sound like you are going to be able to make a separate "Pop Up" screen for the confirmation.

What I would do in your case is create a panel that is layered on top of your Start / Stop buttons. Normally visibility would be False, but the Start / Stop buttons for your pumps, instead of enabling or disabling the devices, just enable the visibility of the panel. The Yes / No confirmation would actually start or stop the pump.

If you wanted to get fancy you could make the hidden panel look like a window...

This way you don't need a new screen and use the existing parameters.

Thanks for your replies ..

But still remains the security issue. If I create a panel like that and put visibility how can I give security to it as attributes are only attached to display screens? (As my primary intention is security for start and stop).

Can you not apply security to tags within FTView ME?

OkiePC said:

Can you not apply security to tags within FTView ME?

Click to expand...

Okie, are you talking about security applied to the tag itself, as in ability to change its value?
If so, then no, I don't believe you can. You can of course apply security to just about any object that would allow you to manipulate a tag.

bmacattack33 said:

apply security to just about any object .

Click to expand...

I really don't think (or know) we can apply security to objects in FT.I am only able to attach security code to display screens [to prevent them opening].

aradhonline said:

I really don't think (or know) we can apply security to objects in FT.I am only able to attach security code to display screens [to prevent them opening].

Click to expand...

What I meant is that Visibility on nearly any object can be made conditional. To use security on the visibility, right-click on the object -> Animation -> Visibility, then in the Expression dialog that pops up enter, "CurrentUserHasCode(x)" where x=a security level (a-p?) exclusive to the users you want to have access to the object.

Going further, I've never tried this, but I imagine you could use the same "CurrentUserHasCode()" in an expression on the enter tag or value of an object. Someone else may be able to verify or disprove this.

What Bmacattack33 is talking about is a Function that can be used in an expression. If you go to the expression field you'll see the Function Button and will find CurrentUserHasCode() under the security field. Apply it to Visibilty of confirmation objects with
IF CurrentUserHasCode(ABC...) And Start Motor == 1 Then 1 Else 0 Statement. This way Current User has to be Authorized and Start button would have to be pressed to open confirmation. You will need to make Start Motor buttons Latched and Unlatch with Confirmation Button to keep screen visible until confirmation is complete.
The only other option would be to assign a parameter tag to a Goto Display Button visiblity. That way you could use Screen security. The only problem with that is Stacking 50 Goto Diplay buttons on Original screen and Adding 50 additional parameters for those buttons in your original parameter files. The only way I found to not add additional parameters is to use a Header Description for my visibility. You may already have those since you are starting 50 different motors. If one of your original parameters is used to Identify the Screen
ie: Motor #1 then you have 50 different parameters to use for Visibility. If {#1}="Motor #1" Then 1 Else 0

You can pass parameters multiple levels deep in FTVME. You have to use a parameter list though and not a parameter file.